(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an analyzer including a storage section for storing a plurality of parts to be used in analyzing samples, the part being such as a container for preparing a specimen, and the like, and relates to an analyzing method.
(2) Description of Related Art
An analyzer including a storage section for storing a plurality of parts to be used in analyzing samples, the part being such as a container for preparing a specimen, and the like, and a supply mechanism section for supplying the plurality of parts toward an analyzing section one by one from the storage section is conventionally known.
US Patent Application publication No. 2002/106305 discloses a supply device, including a hopper (storage section) for storing a great number of containers input without thinking, for supplying the containers toward the analyzing section side one by one from the hopper. The supply device includes the hopper for storing the containers, a rotatable elevator chain including a plurality of scoopers, an escrow guide, and the like.
The containers positioned at the bottom of the great number of containers stored in the hopper are held by the scooper and transported to the upper side of the hopper by the elevator chain. The transported container is dropped onto the escrow guide so that the containers are transported out one by one from the escrow guide.
The great number of containers input without thinking into the hopper is concentrated at the bottom of the hopper, and thus the adjacent containers may be squeezed together and the containers may get tangled and become difficult to move due to the friction between the adjacent containers especially at the bottom. Thus, even if the container at the bottom is transported to the upper side by the elevator chain, if the other containers existing at the periphery of the relevant container are tangled and are difficult to move, the region where the container transported to the upper side existed remains as a space, and the transportation of the next container may not be satisfactorily carried out.
In this case, the container is not supplied toward the analyzing section side in the analyzer although the containers are present in the hopper, and the analyzing operation might be stopped.